1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to receptacles by which different removable carriers having portable computer drives connected for either serial or parallel operation can be interchangeably received within the same chassis or storage enclosure so as to be interfaced with a host computer without having to make alterations to the computer drives or the chassis.
2. Background Art
With the advent of personal computers and workstations, it is often necessary to remove the medium on which computer data is stored. For example, it may be desirable to remove a storage medium so as to be carried to a different site and/or to a different computer system. It may also be desirable to remove the storage medium to a secure location when the computer data that is stored thereon is particularly sensitive or secret. To accomplish the foregoing, computer storage media (e.g. disc drives ) have been affixed to carriers that are removably received within a storage enclosure or chassis that is located remotely from a host computer. The removable carrier with its portable computer drive is simply pulled out of the chassis on an as-needed basis. Either the original disc drive carrier or a different carrier can be returned to the chassis. This insertion/removal cycle of the carrier usually occurs numerous times throughout the workday.
As will be known to those skilled in the art, each time that the removable carrier is inserted within its chassis, the computer drive that is affixed thereto must be electrically interfaced with the host computer by way of a plurality of interface connectors. In some cases, the portable computer drive that is enclosed by the removable carrier is connected for serial operation. In other cases, the computer drive is connected for parallel operation. Consequently, different removable carriers in which serially and parallel connected computer drives are enclosed cannot be inserted in the same drive bay of the chassis unless alterations are first made to the chassis or to the portable computer drives. Such alterations would typically increase the cost and complexity of the computer system and the remote storage means associated therewith.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to enable different removable computer drive carriers to be interchangeably inserted into the same drive bay of a chassis regardless of whether the computer drive thereof is connected for serial or parallel operation and without having to make alteration to the chassis and/or to the drive.